There’s a No. 1 ranking we’re not proud of in Kentucky: leading the nation in lung cancer incidence and mortality. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month and the perfect time to learn more about the disease and what UK HealthCare is doing to fight back.

At the UK Markey Cancer Center, we’re working hard to reduce the burden of lung cancer in Kentucky through screening and prevention, state-of-the-art treatment and research, and compassion for patients and their families.

Markey’s Multidisciplinary Lung Cancer Program brings together a team of health care providers with expertise in all areas of lung cancer. We treat small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers of the chest and lungs.

Screening and diagnosis

Survival rates for lung cancer are much lower than other common types of cancer, with less than 18 percent of people with lung cancer surviving five years. That’s why it’s so important to catch the disease at its earliest. When we detect early-stage lung cancer, a patient’s chances of survival can be as high as 70 percent.

The UK Lung Cancer Screening Program is available for patients who might be at risk for lung cancer, including smokers and former smokers, and can help identify lung cancer early on, before symptoms are noticeable.

Treating lung cancer

When a patient is diagnosed with lung cancer, we act fast to find a course of treatment that’s best for that person. Each treatment plan is based on the individual’s unique needs and the specifics of their cancer.

Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments at Markey are state-of-the-art and are supplemented by national research studies as well as treatments with promising new drugs.